Did you know that Cary is home to the only local Indian confectioner in North Carolina? The desserts at Mithai Indian Cafe are all made fresh in-house. The owners of Mithai are committed to purity, so the confections contain no preservatives, no fillers, no high-fructose corn syrup, no emulsifiers, no synthetics, no trans-fat, no citric acid, no modified milk products, no stabilizers or thickeners, and no MSG. All of the scratch-made Indian desserts are vegetarian and eggless, and some are vegan and gluten-free too! This is a great local spot in Cary to grab desserts for a crowd with various dietary preferences, that are sure to please!

The Mithai Indian cafe, tea house, bakery and dessert destination can be found in the heart of Cary, NC — which is home to a large and ever-growing Indian population. Evoking a timeless tradition, the cafe’s specialties include authentic Indian sweets, snacks, and vegetarian/vegan dishes. A significant number of Mithai desserts are traditional Bengali sweets (from the Eastern part of India, which uses no ghee or oil and only farm fresh whole milk). Mithai’s collection of sweets are individually handcrafted using traditional clay and wooden molds.

The Tasting Room

The desserts at Mithai are different – certainly like nothing I have eaten before! Fortunately, you have a unique opportunity to sample these Indian confections before you buy. Every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, visit the Mithai Tasting Room between 2 pm and 9 pm to learn about its offerings and enjoy tasty free samples. Here are some of the desserts you may get to try during your visit:

Pistachio Fudge (Pistachio Burfi) – This was my favorite dessert of them all! This fudge is made with pistachios, sugar, cardamom, and butter.

All of the desserts are made in-house, with fresh ingredients. The milk used in the desserts comes from Homeland Creamery, which is only a short distance from Cary.

” Our story began with a quest to go back and reclaim the way things were done before the era of mass production and, commercialization. We are Carolina’s first and only local Indian confectioners. Other competing products in NC are all imported from New Jersey, New York, Canada, and Atlanta…

– Davina Ray, Owner at Mithai

The Cafe

Mithai is known for its desserts, but it’s also the perfect spot for lunch, or a small snack. Enjoy samosas, kachori, or vegetable chop. All of the cafe’s offered foods are vegan and pretty healthy! If you need a beverage, order a fresh smoothie, or a cup of coffee made with Larry’s Beans. I recommend the chai tea, which is made with five spices – cardamom, cloves, ginger, black pepper, and cinnamon.

Davina Ray tells us that they are constantly pushing the boundaries of their Indian products’ purity levels. The difference between Mithai products and other similar products is that they use no preservatives, no fillers (to add volume), no HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), no emulsifiers, no synthetics, no trans-fat, no citric acid, no modified milk products, no stabilizers or thickeners and no MSG. Some items are vegan, some are gluten free, some are milk based. Nothing uses eggs!

The entire approach is a response to the general state of ‘Indian packaged foods’ in this country. What the US mainstream population is unaware of about the Indian ‘food scene’ and especially the prepared food sector, is that there is a lot of malpractice and adulteration in ingredients and processes and Mithai is trying to raise awareness of cleaner eating, purity, and wholesomeness (within this demographic), while at the same time, introducing a totally different type of dessert to the mainstream.

Chapati Bakery is Coming Soon to Mithai

Looking forward, Mithai plans to add a Chapati bakery to its space. Chapati is an unleavened flatbread, that is a staple of Indian cuisine. Once it is up and running, Mithai will be the only Chapati baker in the Triangle!

The fresh and handmade sweets at Mithai are perfect for just about any occasion year-round. If you can’t decide which desserts you want, ask about the platters, which include a variety of desserts, snacks, and breads. Mithai is open daily and the owner, Davina Ray is always glad to answer any questions you may have. You can also order their desserts online and ship them anywhere. Additionally, Mithai specializes in catering for all types of occasions, from family celebrations to corporate events and parties.

We are excited and fortunate to have these unique desserts available right here in the Triangle. Be sure to make your way over to the Mithai’s tasting room and cafe and give these confections a try. You will certainly enjoy them, as much as we did. This hidden gem in the heart of Cary is a must-visit.

Amy originally hails from Long Island, NY but has lived in North Carolina for over 20 years and considers it home. You may know her as the force behind Raleigh Specials Tonight, a blog she ran from 2009-2015. Raleigh Specials Tonight lives on via Facebook, Twitter, and the Raleigh Nightlife blog. When she's not writing for various websites or running digital marketing campaigns, Amy can be found out and about Downtown Raleigh living it up, at Carolina Hurricanes hockey games, reading non-fiction books, listening to podcasts, traveling to new places or simply enjoying time with friends and family.

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